Golf course bunkers (also known as “sand traps”) and their placement on the course are an important strategic component to the game of golf and, in many cases, help establish the aesthetic of the landscape of the course. Accordingly, golf courses seek to maintain the appearance, consistency, and playability of the bunkers.
Golf course bunkers come in a variety of architectures that can range from flat bunkers to flash-faced bunkers. Typically, flat bunkers do not contain exposed sand that lines the side faces of the bunker and are therefore less subject to erosion from wind and rain. In contrast, flash-faced bunkers include steep side walls that are lined with sand. While flash-faced bunkers can be attractive and can offer more rigorous playing conditions for the players, flash-faced bunkers are more difficult to maintain. Among other things, there may be costs associated with preventing or fixing the erosion that is prone to occur at the side faces of the bunker. Additionally, because the graded sand is prone to shift, the sand often needs to be replaced or filtered if the sand becomes blended with dirt or soil from exposed side faces.
The rate of erosion within a bunker having an inclined side can depend on a variety of factors such as, for example, exposure to wind, rain, and irrigation systems, but also depends on the height and slope of the side walls. As the height and slope of the side walls increases, so does the potential for the displacement of the sand. Over time, continuous erosion results in the exposure of the underlying soil layer. Prolonged exposure of the soil layer leads to the contamination of the sand with silt and clay, and eventually leads to discoloration, poor drainage, and firmer playing conditions. All of these factors contribute to a high maintenance cost associated with raking, filtering, or replacing the sand within the flash-faced bunkers.
Some erosion resistant systems have been developed that focus on stabilizing the interface between the sand and underlying soil. This has been attempted, for example, by installing a liner at the interface therebetween. However, one of the problems associated with applying a liner at the interface between the sand and the underlying soil layer is that the liner becomes exposed as the sand thins due to erosion. During routine maintenance, rakes often catch the material of the liner causing them to tear and form holes in the linear or the liner, when exposed, may curl up. Soil is then allowed to pass through the holes in the liner or pass around the liner and can contaminate the sand. Consequently, the lifetime of the liners is limited, and replacement of the liners is often an expensive process requiring that the sand trap effectively be emptied for replacement.